


Soulmate

by IveGotRedHair



Category: All Time Low
Genre: Coughing, Fever, M/M, Sick Jack, Sickfic, Sneezing, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 03:48:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3795568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IveGotRedHair/pseuds/IveGotRedHair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last thing Alex expected was to meet his soulmate on a bus on a miserable Tuesday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soulmate

Alex never thought much of the symbol tattooed on the inside of his wrist. The mark on his skin that was individual to him and one other, his soulmate. Alex lived in a world where when a baby was born there was a mark on their wrist, a mark that would tell them who their soulmate was. Out in the world somewhere was a person who had an identical symbol to their own and that person was their soulmate. Now not everyone went along with the idea, they fell in love with whomever they wanted to. Alex had never given much thought to the whole thing, though one thing he never expected was that he’d find his soulmate, his match, on a bus on a miserable Tuesday. 

Alex had never enjoyed taking the bus, it was always hot, crowded and noisy. But since Alex’s car had decided not to work that morning he’d had no other choice to get to and from work. He sighed and took out his phone, the charge was running out and it was a good forty five minutes journey. It really hadn’t been Alex’s day, not only had his car broken down, he’d been late for work and he’d fucked up about eight orders. Alex worked in a coffee shop, nothing exciting but he paid his bills as he went through college. He was staring out of the bus window into the dark street, watching as people got aboard the already crammed vehicle. A boy walked onto the bus toward him and Alex had to move his bag from beside him to let the boy sit down.   
Alex smiled politely at the boy who nodded in thanks, before turning away and sneezing into his arm.   
“Bless you”   
“Thanks” the boy sniffed and leant back in his seat closing his eyes.   
Alex pulled his headphones out of his bag and put them into his dying phone, he figured some music would be better than none. Plus it would help distract him from the whole crammed bus thing. They were only about ten minutes into the journey when Alex felt something heavy on his shoulder, looking over he saw the boy had fallen asleep and his head was now resting on Alex’s shoulder. Chuckling Alex moved slightly so it was more comfortable but continued to let the boy sleep. The boy looked pale and exhausted, Alex thought it would be mean to wake him and it wasn’t like he really minded, as long he wasn’t being drooled on.   
The rest of the journey was unexciting, Alex’s phone did eventually die and he left having to listen to the noises of the bus and the light snores of the boy on his shoulder. When his stop was coming close Alex thought it’d be best to finally wake his sleeping companion.   
“Hmm hey, you need to wake up”   
“Mmth” the boy mumbled.   
“Hey, wake up. We’re nearly at my stop” Alex said, nudging the boy’s shoulder.   
“Huh? Where...Where are we?” the boy asked sleepily, his eyes finally opening as he stared back at Alex.  
“We’re nearly at 5th Avenue” Alex said.   
“Shit... Shit, shit, shit. I missed my stop” the boy groaned before removing his head from Alex’s shoulder to cough into his hands.   
“Are you okay? Do you need help getting home?” Alex asked as the boy continued to cough.   
“I don’t know where I am” the boy said.   
“We’re really near my apartment, do you want to come with me? You can use my phone to call someone or find a taxi firm to get you home” Alex said, it wasn’t exactly sure why he was helping the stranger but they were obviously unwell, alone and lost.   
“You’d do that?” he asked.   
“Yeah, I’ve even got hot coco”   
“Hot coco does sound nice”   
“Come on”   
Alex led the boy off the bus and out onto the street, the bus hadn’t even pulled away before the boy started shivering, pulling his large hoodie tight around his small body.   
“The quicker we get out of here the better... I’m Alex by the way”   
“Jack”   
“Nice to meet you Jack”   
“You too...” Jack was cut off his a sneeze, his nose buried in the crook of his arm as he sniffed.   
“Bless you, are you okay?” Alex asked.   
“Yeah...” Jack replied, digging a crumpled up tissue out of his pocket and rubbing his ever redding nose.   
“Not much further now” he said and Jack just nodded. 

Ten minutes later and they were both sat on the couch in Alex’s living room, two steaming mugs of coco in front of them. Jack hadn’t touched his yet, too busy coughing his lungs out to get a chance. Alex wondered if he should have slipped some Nyquil into the drink as the boy sounded terrible.   
“Man that sounded like it hurt” Alex said once the fit had died down.   
“Yeah...” Jack mumbled, taking the first sip on his drink and letting the hot liquid sooth his raw throat.   
“So Jack... Where were you going?”   
“2nd Street, you know near the library and all the shops?”   
“Shit that is miles away, did that bus even stop there?”   
“No” Jack sniffed. “I had to get off at 9th Street and change”   
“That’s a long trip”   
“Yeah, suppose” Jack said.   
“Well my phone’s probably charged a bit by now, do you want to call someone?”   
“If that’s okay”   
“Sure, sure, I’ll just be in the kitchen fixing us something to eat. How does tomato soup and grilled cheese sound?”   
“Good, but don’t go to all that trouble just for me” Jack said, his nose was dripping again and he had to quickly get his tissue to try and stop it.   
“It’s no problem and I think I have a pack of tissues around here some...Ha! Have these” Alex dropped the box on Jack’s lap.   
“Thank you”   
“No worries”   
Alex left Jack to make his phone call, even with the sound of soup heating and the grill on he could hear the muffled sound of Jack talking and coughing. Whatever the bug the boy he had to seem to be kicking his ass. Alex continued making the food until the sound of talking stopped and Alex brought the bowls over to where Jack was sat on the couch.  
“I hope this is alright” Alex said, placing the bowl on Jack’s lap.   
“So I spoke to my mum” Jack said, taking a spoonful of soup.  
“And?”  
“She can’t pick me up, she’s got some work thing”   
“Oh... I’d offer to drive you but the reason I was on the bus is my cars all fucked up”   
“It’s okay”   
“I’m sure I find you a taxi to take you home” Alex said.   
“No it’s okay I can...”Jack was cut off by coughing again, his chest heaving painfully as he tried to get air in his lungs.   
Alex put down his food and began to rub Jack’s back until he was able to breathe again.   
“Are you okay?”   
“Not really” Jack admitted.   
“Can I... Can I help?” Alex asked.   
“I just feel shitty and I’m so far from home with no money to get back” Jack said, putting his face in his hands.   
“Hey don’t cry, it’s okay” Alex sympathized, putting his arm around Jack’s shoulders.   
“I’m sorry about this, it’s been a hard week and I just had to get sick on top of it...” Jack said, sniffling.   
“Sorry to hear that, look I’m going to help you okay? I’ll get you home to your nice warm bed”   
“Why?”   
“Well you are already in my apartment and I did say I’d get you home, so getting you home is what I’m going to do”   
“Thank you Alex...” Jack said before coughing again.   
“Do you need anything? Pain killer, medicine?” Alex asked.   
“My head is killing me” Jack said, beginning to sound miserably stuffed up.   
“I’ll see what I’ve got”   
As Alex left the room Jack pushed down the sleeve of his hoodie to see the mark on his wrist, running a finger over the detailed symbol. He’d fallen in love with a girl whose mark hadn’t matched his and he’d had his heart broken because of it. He pushed the thought away as Alex returned.  
“Pain killers and come cough stuff that probably tastes gross but should help” Alex said, placing the things in front of Jack with a glass of water.  
“Thank you” he said, smiling gratefully.   
Alex just smiled in returned and got about cleaning away the dishes. Alex was right the medicine did taste gross but Jack was still glad of it, though his nose was like a freaking tap and would not stop running. Alex brought Jack another box of tissues and a blanket as he’d seen Jack trying to hide a shiver.   
“You’re very kind doing all of this...” Jack said, pulling the blanket around his shoulders.   
“It’s no problem” Alex smiled.   
“Why though?” Jack sniffed. “Why are you helping me?”   
The question threw Alex slightly, truth was didn’t really know. He’d felt something from the moment Jack had sat beside him and he didn’t want to let it go.   
“You looked like you needed some” Alex finally answered.   
He looked over at Jack expecting some reply but Jack’s eyes were closed and his head resting against the arm of the chair. The exhaustion of being ill had finally taken over and Jack was snoring once again, passed out on Alex’s couch.   
Alex smiled, he found the image of Jack sleeping kind of adorable. He moved to pull the blanket around him when Jack moved in his sleep and he rolled to his side. The mark on his wrist revealed... Alex took a step back, what he saw couldn’t be... He looked down at his own wrist, the symbol in all it’s detail, an exact match to Jack’s.   
Alex didn’t know what to do next, he’d never heard of anyone finding their soulmate by having them fall asleep on their couch. Part of him wanted to wake Jack, to tell him but Jack just looked so sick and tired that he decided against it. He just sat back down next to the sleeping boy, he’d done it, he’d found his soulmate or rather his soulmate had found him. 

Jack woke sometime later, groggy, ill and still coughing. When the fit finished he looked around, confused at his unfamiliar surroundings.   
“Wh...Where am I?” he asked.   
“You’re in my apartment on 5th Avenue, it’s nearly 2am and it’s probably time you had some more medicine”   
A boy had appeared at the edge of the room, dressed in only a t shirt and boxers, his hair messy from where he’d obviously been sleeping.   
“S’rry didn’t mean to wake you” Jack sniffed, blowing his nose.   
“It’s okay, I wasn’t really sleeping anyway” Alex replied, bringing Jack another dose of cough syrup and sitting beside him.   
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep... I can go...”   
“No, no it’s fine really. I can’t throw you out” Alex said.   
Jack smiled in thanks and took the medicine, the taste hadn’t improved but horrible though it was it seemed to help.   
“Hmm, Jack there’s something I need to tell you...”   
“What’s wrong?”   
Alex turned his wrist to show Jack, it took a moment before it clicked in Jack’s mind. Rolling up his sleeve Jack put his arm beside Alex’s, two music tones of the exact same detail tattooed on their skin.   
“You’re....” Jack started.   
“Yeah, I noticed earlier but I didn’t want to wake you” Alex said.   
“I’m sorry you had to meet me when I’m all ill and disgusting” Jack said, turning away so Alex couldn’t see him blow his nose.   
“I don’t mind, seriously. I’m just glad you’re here... I’d never given much thought to the whole thing but ever since I saw you I’ve felt that weird...”   
“Connection” Jack finished.   
“Look at us, finishing each other’s sentences already” Alex joked.   
Jack smiled before sneezing harshly into his arm, followed by a painful sounding cough.   
“Ugh, wish I didn’t feel so awful” he moaned.   
“Awh” Alex frowned, he reached up to move Jack’s dark hair away from his face before placing his wrist to the boy’s forehead.   
“You’re burnin’”   
Jack groaned and pulled the thin blanket tighter around his body.   
“How about we get you to bed? Maybe you could get some prober sleep”   
“Your bed?”   
“Yeah my bed, well you are my soulmate, I think I can trust you in my bed” Alex joked which earned a small laugh from Jack.   
“Come on”   
The elder held out a hand to the boy and pulled him to too his feet. Jack stumped after Alex back to his room where a large double bed was waiting for them. Before Jack was able to collapse of the mountain of pillows Alex stopped him.   
“Do you want to change or...” Alex asked, looking at Jack’s oversized hoodie and skinny jeans.   
“I don’t...”  
“You can have some of mine, they’ll probably be a bit small” Alex said, looking at the good few inches Jack stood above him.   
“Thanks”   
“Bathroom is that way”   
Jack took the clothes Alex had given him and shuffled off to change, he was ever thankful to Alex’s kindness. Seeing himself in the mirror Jack was surprised at just how ill he looked, pale with flushed cheeks, nose and eyes red, his normally styled hair lay flat and messy. How did the beautiful boy next door get to be his soulmate?  
When he returned Alex was lying on the bed, his hair all tussled and wild, he was staring at his phone and hadn’t noticed Jack come back. Unfortunately the moment was ruined when Jack began coughing again.   
“You okay?” Alex asked, moving to the side of the bed so there was room for Jack.   
“Definitely”   
“Feeling better then?”   
“You could say that...” Jack mumbled, getting into bed beside Alex.   
“Awh come here”   
Alex held out his arm and let Jack cuddle up in his side, with Jack’s head resting on his chest.   
“This is real right?” Alex asked. “In the whole wide whole and I come across my soulmate on a bus on a miserable Tuesday all because my car broke down”   
“Oh it’s real” Jack replied.   
“Good, just needed to check I wasn’t dream” Alex said.   
“Double check and pinch me?”   
Alex pinched Jack’s cheek which caused the boy to laugh.   
“Thank you for taking care of me” Jack said sleepily, the comfort of the bed and Alex’s warmth beside him was already making the boy feel sleepy once again.   
“Well it’s kind of my job now” Alex said, running his hand through Jack’s hair.   
“Love you” Jack mumbled.   
“Already? We’ve only just met” Alex joked though it fell on deaf ears, Jack was asleep again but it didn’t matter because Alex knew he loved Jack too.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!   
> Soo there's another one, I really liked this idea so I hope you did too.   
> Feel free to leave me a comment with any ideas so prompts you'd like me to try :)


End file.
